Evangelist

It just dawned on me. ISP's are now beginning to impose limits, at least mine is. Just like AT&T! So, it is important to pay attention. If I am in my house and watching my TV on my iPad or iPhone via Slingbox, am I not doing double duty on my ISP limits? I am getting charged for the upload from Slingbox to the Internet; and then I am being charged again for the download from the internet to my iDevice. Is that right, or am I missing something here?

Moderator

No, it's only being counted once and only when it's Slingbox to your iDevice over 3G. Not Slingbox to the internet, then Slingbox to your iDevice.

My ISP has been doing this for a long time. I've never even come close to the 60 GB limit. Back when I had slower internet, I had a 30 GB limit and I once got an email saying I was at 17 GB when it was only two weeks into the month. That was when I found out about the data cap.

Member

If it's within your house on the same wifi or wired network, the only traffic that goes over the Internet may be the locator service. Once you're streaming it's point to point within your home network, thereforee it doesn't go onto the Internet and is not counted as "usage" for your ISP.
If you are accessing via a different wifi (or 3G) then it does count, but the slingbox will also generally diminish the quality somewhat due to generally lower bandwidth availability.

Evangelist

So if I am out of the house on either WiFi or 3g then I am getting charged for the upload from Slingbox to the Internet. Which in turn I receive on my iDevice over 3g (my AT&T data usage) or WiFi from someone else's ISP connection.

But if I am at home, Ed is saying since it is the same WiFi network then there is no charge (bandwidth usage) from my ISP since it goes point to point (boy, are my devices that smart?). But I think Europa is saying something different. Slingbox is "slinging" to the Internet and I am receiving on my iPhone/iPad from WiFi, not 3g, but my WiFi is based on my connection to the Internet through my ISP.

Now, I'm a pretty smart guy (what movie was that from?), but I'm still not sure what is happening here. But, I do know that my ISP is going to screw me at every turn. And, unfortunately, due to watching a lot of old series that I have gone over 80 gb in a month and gotten clobbered with fees.

Member

If you're not sure if the device is slinging over the net, turn off the option that allows remote streaming in the setup software then try to connect. If it does I can guarantee it isn't using the Internet for streaming.

Moderator

I'm not 100% sure here (GoalieEd, correct me if I'm wrong), but I don't think streaming from your DVR via SlingBox to your phone over WiFi is counted as data usage by your ISP. Netflix streaming over WiFi is counted because it's streaming from the internet whereas Slingbox is just streaming over your network. Streaming from your SlingBox to your phone over 3G would be counted (once, not twice like you originally asked) by AT&T, not your ISP.

Member

I'm understanding the same as Europa. Your router (some are combination routers and wifi zones) separates traffic for the home from the traffic for the Internet as a whole. The metering happens at the other endiif the cable or DSL, thus the streaming isn't measured by the ISP as it never travels to the net as a whole.

The slingboxes may transmit a bit if info to allow Internet based connections as well as programming guides, but that amount is almost negligible.

When I stream to my phone via 3G, I do get measured by my home ISP (ATT DSL) for the upload and separately by AT&T mobility for my cell phone download. On wifi but a different network, I get measured on my upload, and the network I'm using gets measures on the download. And on my local network I neither get measured for the up or download